Israeli Officer Dies of Wounds in Lebanon

An Israeli army officer died last night of wounds he suffered yester-day in Lebanon, a military spokesman announced this morning. The name and rank of the deceased was not immediately released.

The spokesman said he was one of two soldiers wounded when their vehicle was ambushed by small arms fire near Kfar Sil, a village south of Beirut, at about noon yesterday.

Weather-related problems are also troubling Israeli forces in Lebanon. The army has put a specially trained and equipped “Alpine regiment” into action to help soldiers overcome difficulties caused by the bitter cold and snow in the mountainous Shouf area to which Israelis are not accustomed. The unit is said to be combat ready, but its principal task appears to be to dig out soldiers bogged down by heavy snow-falls.